University of Tasmania, Australia

How do I apply for admission?

Please complete the 2012 Application for Admission Form (PDF 724 KB). We encourage you to fill out the form online; it is quicker and easier. If you prefer to print the form and complete it by hand, you are most welcome to do so.

If you need any assistance to complete the form, please contact the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre on 1800 982 600.

Once you have completed the 2012 Application for Admission Form, either online or by hand, please print a copy and post it, together with any supporting documentation to:

Please ensure you post a complete application. Please do not send supporting documents such as your Applicant Statement, certified copies of your Passport, Citizenship or Visa documents, or your Employer Letter of Support separately, or at a later time. Your application must be complete at the time it is posted to the University of Tasmania. We are unable to accept a faxed, scanned or electronic copy of your application form or supporting documents.

What documents do I send with my application?

The 2012 Application for Admission must be fully completed before you post it to us. If you need extra space to write your Applicant Statement, please attach one single A4 page to the back of your application. If you currently work in the community service or aged and dementia care field with an organisation which is a member of ACSA (Aged & Community Services Australia Tasmania or NSW) and wish to have your study tuition fees waived, you must provide an original signed letter of support from your Employer.

In addition, you may be asked to provide evidence of your Citizenship: a certified copy of your passport, Visa or Citizenship Certificate. If you choose to provide academic transcripts from previous study you have undertaken, those documents must be certified and provided at the time you post your 2012 Application for Admission. Your application for admission needs to be a complete package at the time it is posted. Please do not send supporting documents separately or after you have posted your 2012 Application for Admission.

Why are there no student fees for some people?

The cost of university education is usually shared between the Australian Government and the student, with the student contributing a proportion of the cost. This is known as the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (or HECS). In acknowledgement of the help provided by ACSA Tasmania and ACSA NSW/ACT in establishing the course, the University of Tasmania has offered to forgo the student contribution for the Associate Degree in Dementia Care for students who are employed in the Aged Care sector at a workplace that is a member of ACSA. This arrangement will be negotiated each year, and is only guaranteed for one year at a time. For 2012, the Associate Degree in Dementia Care is only fee-free if you are currently in the Aged and Dementia Care workforce and your employer is a member of Aged and Community Services Association (ACSA) (Tasmania or NSW/ACT). This situation may change in the future.

All students will incur expenses for the Services and Amenities fee, and of course your own notebooks and some textbooks, etc.

How will I know if my application has been received?

All applicants will receive advice by email to confirm that their application has been received. Please allow at least 10 working days from the day you post your application and supporting documentation to us, to receive an acknowledgement that it has been received at UTAS. If you have any questions or concerns about whether or not we have received your 2012 Application for Admission, please contact wicking.enquiries@utas.edu.au or phone 1800 982 600.

How will I know if my application is successful and if I have received an offer in the Associate Degree in Dementia Care?

Offers will be made progressively from early September 2012. A formal Letter of Offer will be posted to you. You will have 3 weeks from the date of issue of the Letter of Offer to either accept a place in the course, or to decline. If you do not accept by the Offer expiry date (which will be stated in the Letter of Offer), the Offer will lapse and your place in the course will be offered to the next most eligible applicant. Information will be enclosed with the Offer letter to explain how to accept.

How do I accept an Offer?

Advice will be given in the Letter of Offer about the acceptance process. From the date of issue of the Letter of Offer you will have 3 weeks in which to either accept or decline. If you do not respond to UTAS before the Offer expiry date, the Offer will lapse and the place in the course will be offered to the next most eligible applicant.

How do I decline an Offer?

You are welcome to email wicking.enquiries@utas.edu.au or phone the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre on 1800 982 600, to let them know you will not be accepting the Offer that has been made.

Can I defer the place I have been offered to another year?

No. Deferrals are not available to students in this course. If you are unable to accept the Offer that has been made, you are most welcome to re-apply to UTAS on a future occasion.

What happens if my application is not successful? Will someone contact me?

All applicants will be advised about the outcome of their application before the start of the course on 29 October 2012. Offers will be made progressively from early September through to 22 October 2012. If you haven’t received an offer in September or into October, please do not worry. Unless you have been advised that your application is not successful, your application will be held open and active until the course is fully subscribed. We will give each eligible applicant every opportunity to commence in the course they have applied for. If we are unable to offer you a place in the Associate Degree in Dementia Care in 2012, you will be contacted by the Wicking Dementia Research & Education Centre. If you don’t receive a place in the course this year, you will be most welcome to apply for admission in a future year. Gaining a place in the Associate Degree in Dementia Care is through a competitive process. The number of places available to offer to applicants will be far exceeded by the number of applicants who apply, so unfortunately not every applicant will gain a place in the course in 2012.

How do I choose the units (subjects) I will study?

If you are offered a place in the Associate Degree in Dementia Care, information about the units you will study will be included with the Letter of Offer that will be posted to you. Instructions will also be provided about how to enrol in these units. Please contact wicking.enquiries@utas.edu.au or phone 1800 982 600 if you have questions about your program of study.

How do I check the timetable?

If you are offered a place in the Associate Degree in Dementia Care information about classes, face- to- face and on-line, will be included with the Letter of Offer that will be posted to you. If you have questions about your program of study please contact wicking.enquiries@utas.edu.au or phone 1800 982 600.

Do I have to attend an Orientation program?

If you are offered a place in the Associate Degree in Dementia Care, information about Orientation will be included with the Letter of Offer that will be posted to you. If you have questions about Orientation please contact wicking.enquiries@utas.edu.au or phone 1800 982 600.

What costs are associated with undertaking the Associate Degree in Dementia Care?

In October 2011, the Australian Parliament passed legislation to allow universities and other higher education providers to charge a compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) from 2012.

This legislation allows universities and other higher education providers to support services to students through the reintroduction of a compulsory services and amenities fee (removed from 1 July 2006 under different legislation) from 1 January 2012. In addition, the legislation allows universities to charge a maximum of $263 per full-time student for the full year in 2012.

For 2012, the fee for part-time students will be $65.75. Students will be sent an invoice for the fee once they are enrolled in their units of study. An invoice will be sent each subsequent year a student is enrolled in the course. For further information about the Student Services and Amenities Fee, please consult the Australian Government's website. In addition, students will be responsible for the cost of stationery needed to undertake their studies.

Some of the units look very interesting for me as a manager. Is it possible for me to 'dip in' to do some units and not others?

If you already have another degree you are most likely eligible to apply for credit, or recognition of your prior learning, which means you can skip the support units and start with some of the units from the outset. Many of the units can be done in any order so you can choose your own pathway through the course, or just complete part of it. We anticipate that each unit will be offered at least once every year, so you may need to be flexible with your timing.

Please note that only the first four Support/Foundation Units are offered from October 2012, with further units being delivered from July 2013.

Can I apply for admission to the Associate Degree in Dementia Care if I work for an ACSA member in a State or Territory other than Tasmania or NSW?

Yes. You are most welcome to apply for admission to this course. Only applicants who work for an ACSA Tasmania or NSW member are eligible to apply to have their Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) payments waived. Applicants who work for an ACSA member in another State or Territory and who are successful in gaining admission to the course will not be eligible to apply to have their HECS payments waived.

Can I apply for admission to the Associate Degree in Dementia Care if I do not work in community service or aged and dementia care?

Yes. You are most welcome to apply for admission to this course. Only applicants who work for an ACSA Tasmania or NSW member are eligible to apply to have their Higher Education Contribution (HECS) payments waived. Other applicants who gain admission to the course will be responsible for their HECS payments.

Can I apply for admission to the Associate Degree in Dementia Care if I am based in a State or Territory other than Tasmania or NSW/ACT?

As the compulsory attendance days will be at one of our University campuses, you will need to be able to get to a campus for 3-5 days per semester. If you are happy to travel to one of our campuses (in Hobart, Launceston, Cradle Coast in Tasmania and Rozelle in Sydney) then you are welcome to apply. The first 4 units have compulsory attendance, with the remaining units being offered by distance with some optional attendance sessions.

Why are there only 120 places?

Since this will be the first time that a course like this is offered in Australia we want to make sure that we get it right which means keeping the class sizes small so that we can give you the best possible education.

I don't own a computer, can I still apply for the course?

You will need to have access to a computer to complete this course. If you don't have your own computer, perhaps someone in your family has one, or a friend, or you could use a computer at your local library, on campus in student areas, at the University library or ask your employer if their support for you to study could include access to a computer and the internet.

If I already have a University degree, or have started a degree but not finished it, will I qualify for any credit towards the Associate Degree in Dementia Care?

Depending on when and how many units you have successfully completed, it is likely that you can apply for credit for the units and/or some of the elective units. You will need to show proof of your previous education as part of the application process. Each case will be considered individually.

I'm a Personal Care Assistant who finished school in grade 10 – can I be considered to apply for this course?

Yes you can, in fact the course is designed for people just like you. The Associate Degree in Dementia Care includes 4 support units at the beginning to help those students who are returning to study after a break, or who haven't studied since they left school.

I'm a Registered Nurse working in Aged Care. Will I qualify for any credit?

As a Registered Nurse you will be able to apply for credit for up to 4 of the support units, depending on when you qualified as a Registered Nurse, which units you have completed and at what level. You will be offered the opportunity to show proof of your previous education as part of the application process. Each case will be considered individually. You may be asked to complete a diagnostic test to determine which of the support foundation units you can get credit for.

What is an Associate Degree?

An Associate Degree is a 2-year qualification that generally follows year 12 or equivalent, or a Certificate III or IV. It typically takes 2 years of full-time study to complete, and would lead into a Bachelor Degree if graduates were to pursue further university study. This Associate Degree in Dementia Care will be offered part-time (2 units per semester), over 3 semesters per year, including the summer period, taking 2.5 years to complete.

How do I pass the units without having final exams?

There will be ongoing assessment during this course throughout each semester involving a variety of activities and assignments rather than a final exam at the end of each unit of study. We will ask you to do things like online quizzes composed of multiple choice questions and short answer questions – some of which may be time-limited – written assignments, case studies, oral presentations, participation in online discussion forums, group assignments, keeping a reflective journal and research projects.

Why is it better to have more than one person from each workplace studying?

As this course will use flexible delivery it will help to have other people that you know close by to talk with about your study. You will have the opportunity to work together for assignments and to make a difference in the approach to care in your workplace.

What does flexible delivery of the units look like?

Flexible teaching and learning means that we use a combination of teaching methods to suit students and the subject matter. This may involve combining lectures, tutorials, workshops, group work, problem-based learning, or practical exercises with other approaches such as:

• Online delivery using tools
• Videoconferencing
• Resource-based learning (for example, using print, audio, CD-ROM)
• Workplace learning or independent/group projects and flexible scheduling (for example, summer schools, intensive block teaching)

Flexible teaching and learning approaches are:

• Learner-centred
• About good teaching and learning practices for all students
• Less time- and place-dependent than more traditional forms of teaching
• Ones that increase the learner's responsibility for his or her own learning

Practically speaking, the first four units will have compulsory 3-5 face-to-face days per semester which will be at one of the University of Tasmania campuses (Hobart, Launceston, Cradle Coast and Rozelle). We hope to cover the material for both units at this time. The days will be spread out across 13 weeks. The rest of the units will have optional face-to-face days, with the majority of the content being available online. In between the face-to-face days, you can work at your own pace through the modules of work, with support by email, other online access and the phone.

Will I need to spend 3-5 days on campus for every unit in the course?

The first four units of the course will have compulsory attendance at a University campus for 3-5 days per semester. This will be enough time for both units. This will be 3 days at the beginning of the semester, one in the middle and another one towards the end of the 13 weeks. After you have finished the first four units, attendance will no longer be compulsory and you will have the option to either attend the face-to-face days or to continue your study by distance for the rest of the course.

What if I don't live within commuting distance of a UTAS campus?

You will need to be able to get to a University campus for 3-5 days per semester, for at least the first four units. After that you can choose to complete the remainder of the course by distance without needing to commute to a UTAS campus.

Can I do some study at my workplace?

Several of the elective units are workplace units, where you will have the opportunity to carry out a project in your workplace. You will need to discuss this with your employer when the time comes.

Will it always have to be 12 hours of study a week if I do 2 units per semester?

Every student works at a different pace and some people need more or less time to work though the course material. Twelve hours is the average time we think you will need to spend each week.

What are my employment options at the completion of the course?

This course is the first of its kind and will set benchmarks for the value of the skills, knowledge and practice you bring to the aged care sector. It will be up to each aged care organisation to plan for the application of these skills and knowledge in a manner that benefits older people in their care and the organisation more broadly. This is something that may be discussed upfront with your organisation or may evolve during the life of the course.

We do, however, know that workers with greater knowledge and skills in dementia care will be critical in delivering greater capacity to a sector which will directly face an enormous challenge, and as a future holder of the Associate Degree in Dementia Care you will be at the forefront of this. It will be up to organisations and the sector more broadly to ensure the investment they make in your development means your essential skills are applied, nurtured and retained by the sector. We will be evaluating the course and making representations to government about supporting the development of a career structure for aged care workers in the future.

What if I work full-time and want to do the course?

This course if offered as a part-time course. Ideally you will enrol in 2 units at a time, and we estimate that you will need to be able to devote about 12 hours per week to study for both of these units. If you find this is too difficult to manage, we can work out a plan for you to undertake one unit at a time.

What's the best way to ask my boss to support my study?

Our Tasmanian and NSW State Representatives have already started to share information about this course amongst their members, so it is likely your boss already knows about the Associate Degree in Dementia Care. If you register your interest with your State ACSA representative, we will send your employer some more information about the course notifying them that one of their employees is interested in applying.

I've received a Letter of Offer for the Associate Degree in Dementia Care. What do I need to do now?

Please refer to the New Students page for detailed information about how to enrol and what to expect.

Where and when are the classes that I need to attend for Semester 5 (Spring) 2012?

You are encouraged to select the campus closest to your place of residence, or according to the dates you are available to attend. Please refer to the Classes page for more detailed information.

When do I receive my Unit Outlines?

Unit Outlines will be available on MyLO when study commences.